Electrical unit

Abstract

An electrical unit includes a first housing member, a second housing member, and a fuse assembly. The fuse assembly may include a pre-fuse bus bar disposed at least partially in the first housing member. The first housing member may be configured to receive a first electrical connector. A plane may extend through the pre-fuse bus bar and the first electrical connector. The fuse assembly may include a fuse, and the plane may extend through the pre-fuse bus bar, the first electrical connector, and/or the fuse. The first housing member may be configured to receive a second electrical connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrical unit, comprising:
 a first housing member;   a second housing member; and   a fuse assembly including a pre-fuse bus bar disposed at least partially in the first housing member;   wherein the first housing member is configured to receive a first electrical connector such that a plane extends through the pre-fuse bus bar and said first electrical connector.   
     
     
         2 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fuse assembly includes a fuse, and the plane extends through the pre-fuse bus bar, said first electrical connector, and the fuse. 
     
     
         3 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing member is configured to receive a second electrical connector such that said first electrical connector is disposed between the pre-fuse bus bar and said second electrical connector. 
     
     
         4 . The electrical unit of  claim 3 , wherein the first housing member is configured such that the plane extends through the pre-fuse bus bar, said first electrical connector, and said second electrical connector. 
     
     
         5 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-fuse bus bar is disposed substantially to a side of the first housing member. 
     
     
         6 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , including a circuit board bus bar connected to the pre-fuse bus bar. 
     
     
         7 . The electrical unit of  claim 6 , wherein the circuit board bus bar is at least partially disposed in the second housing member and is connected directly to a circuit board of the second housing member. 
     
     
         8 . An electrical assembly including the electrical unit of  claim 1 , the first electrical connector, and a second electrical connector; wherein the pre-fuse bus bar is laterally offset from at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector. 
     
     
         9 . The electrical unit of  claim 8 , wherein the pre-fuse bus bar is aligned substantially between a first longitudinal end of the first electrical connector and a second longitudinal end of the first electrical connector. 
     
     
         10 . The electrical unit of  claim 9 , including a second electrical connector, wherein the pre-fuse bus bar is aligned substantially between a first longitudinal end of the second electrical connector and a second longitudinal end of the second electrical connector. 
     
     
         11 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein said first electrical connector includes at least 10 terminals. 
     
     
         12 . An electrical assembly including the electrical unit of  claim 1 , a first wire, and a second wire; wherein the first wire and the second wire are connected to the pre-fuse bus bar; and a current capacity of the first wire is greater than a current capacity of the second wire. 
     
     
         13 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-fuse bus bar includes a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion; the first portion is substantially perpendicular to the second portion; and the third portion is substantially perpendicular to the fourth portion. 
     
     
         14 . The electrical unit of  claim 13 , wherein the third portion and the fourth portion are perpendicular to the first portion; the first portion and the second portion are substantially horizontal; the third portion and the fourth portion are substantially vertical; and the plane extends through the third portion and the fourth portion of the pre-fuse bus bar. 
     
     
         15 . The electrical unit of  claim 13 , wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are aligned between a top of said first electrical connector and a bottom of said first electrical connector. 
     
     
         16 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein the plane is disposed substantially parallel to a base wall of the first housing member. 
     
     
         17 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein a second plane is aligned with a top of said first electrical connector; and the fuse assembly is disposed substantially between the second plane and above a base wall of the first housing member. 
     
     
         18 . The electrical unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing member includes an L-shaped protrusion configured to retain the pre-fuse bus bar. 
     
     
         19 . An electrical assembly, comprising:
 an electrical unit, including:
 a first housing member including a base wall and a plurality of side walls extending from the base wall; 
 a second housing member; and 
 a fuse assembly including a pre-fuse bus bar and at least one fuse connected to the pre-fuse bus bar; 
   a first electrical connector; and   a second electrical connector;   wherein a plane extends through the pre-fuse bus bar, the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector, and the plurality of side walls.   
     
     
         20 . The electrical assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector each include at least 20 terminals.